Monday 17 January 2011 15.35 EST
First published on Monday 17 January 2011 15.35 EST

The astronaut husband of Gabrielle Giffords, the politician shot through the head in the Arizona massacre nine days ago, indicated today he would be prepared to meet with the parents of the alleged gunman to express his forgiveness.

Mark Kelly, who has been beside his wife's hospital bed since the shootings in Tucson on 8 January, said he probably would see the parents of Jared Lee Loughner, who has been charged with the massacre in which six people died and 14 were wounded.

In an interview with Diane Sawyer of ABC, to air on the US network tomorrow, Kelly said he had empathy for the parents. "You know, I don't think it's their fault. It's not the parents' fault. I'd like to think I'm a person that's somewhat forgiving. And they've got to be hurting in this situation as much as anybody."

Kelly, the father of two teenage girls from his previous marriage, said: "I have children. And they must, I'm sure they love their son. And they must be as distraught over this as all of us are."

Giffords, a Democratic member of Congress, was shot at point-blank range with a Glock 19 semi-automatic handgun. Since the shooting, she has been recovering at a speed that has astounded doctors.

Today her condition was upgraded from critical to serious. Kelly told ABC his wife was responding to comments and had spent 10 minutes giving him a neck massage.

"I'm like, Gabby, you're in the ICU. You know, you don't need to be doing this. But it's so typical of her that no matter how bad the situation might be for her, she's looking out for other people."

Over the weekend Giffords underwent surgery to repair the roof of her right eye socket, which had a fracture that was pushing down on to the eye itself. Some of the socket was removed to relieve the pressure and replaced with wire mesh.

Rainer Gruessner, chairman of the surgery department at the University Medical Centre in Tucson, which is treating Giffords, said: "We are very pleased with the outcome one week after this tragic event." However, doctors have said they cannot give an indication yet of her long-term prospects.

Another of the wounded, James Fuller, who was shot twice, is still in psychiatric hospital after he was involuntarily confined there having made a threatening outburst at a public meeting. In a public gathering on Saturday, he shouted at the co-founder of the Tucson Tea Party, Trent Humphries: "You're dead."

Fuller has apologised from hospital for his "misplaced outrage". He has been charged with threatening behaviour but prosecution will only go ahead if Humphries presses charges.